1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector producing method and to a connector produced by insert molding.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior art connector produced by insert molding is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 7-11771 and is illustrated in FIG. 7 herein. As shown in FIG. 7, this connector is constructed such that a group of terminal fittings a, b are assembled into a housing c by insert molding, and male connector portions d, e are provided at the opposite ends. This connector is used as an intermediate connector or the like.
In producing such a connector by insert molding, the housing c may be molded according to the following method. A group of terminal fittings a, b are accommodated in a cavity of a mold and the ends thereof are inserted into mount grooves formed in the wall surface of the cavity. The housing c then is molded by injecting the cavity with synthetic resin. However, if the above method is adopted, particularly when the terminal fittings a, b have a long length, the terminal fittings a, b are elastically deformed upon being subjected to an injection pressure of the resin, with the result that the lengths of the terminal fittings a, b projecting in the male connector portions d, e may vary and, in an extreme case, the terminal fittings a, b may be brought into contact with each other.
As a countermeasure, the respective terminal fittings a, b are formed with intermediate members f, g for preventing a deformation by insert molding as shown in FIG. 8. The housing c is produced by insert molding using an assembly of the intermediate members f, g and the terminal fittings a, b as a core material. This prevents the terminal fittings a, b from being elastically deformed during the insert molding of the housing c.
On the other hand, the connector is required to have a smaller thickness for a space-saving purpose. However, if the connector is produced according to the prior art method, there is a limit in suppressing the thickness of the connector as a whole since there is the thickness of the intermediate members f, g surrounding the respective terminal fittings a, b in addition to that of the housing c.
The present invention was developed in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to enable the production of a connector having a smaller thickness.